The Makarios mission is to love, educate, and empower. Our work is driven by our vision to see communities serve Jesus Christ, while working to end generational poverty. While our mission and vision guide us forward, it can be hard to see the big picture. Having values written down is not the hard part; the challenge comes when we hold ourselves accountable to aligning our behavior and the values we have committed to. Our values are the stepping stones to the vision that is set before us.​This month, we looked inward and asked: who amongst us is living out the Makarios values? Each one of our program directors recognized one person on staff who is living out a specific value on a daily basis.

Adrienne from the makarios School

Value: Relationship

Relationship (n.) the way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of being connected.

Relationship is a value of Makarios. We initiate, build, and grow healthy and empowering relationships. Enter many of the Makarios staff, but today I will mention Adrienne Christian. Adrienne works with the school and Family Empowerment and Group Ministry in the summer. Adrienne is the one spending the night in Chichigua with one of the missionary youth because her relationship is intentional with Chichigua and with Myah. Adrienne is the one who inspires people from Makarios to lead workshops to bless the school, Quisqueya, she worked with prior to Makarios in the south of the island—because she is committed to Makarios and Quisqueya.

Adrienne is passionate for the relationship that reading and writing has on the educational development of a child. This is not usually just a sterile process. With many of our kids an interruption in their emotional development has impeded their academic development. It takes relationship to melt those walls.

It is not only the students that benefit from the talents of Adrienne—our school has been revolutionized by Adrienne's knowledge and ability to share it with the teachers. Our school as a whole has been able to focus on how to creatively include aspects of reading and writing into the classroom. It is Adrienne's relationship with the staff that allows her bring some very different ideas to our educational table and be heard by the staff.The greatest relationship that Adrienne shares in is her relationship with her Creator God. Like the definition states there is definitely a connection, there is regard for each other and Adrienne behaves in a manner that considers her Lord. Even the verse she has chosen for the closing of her email speaks to the priority of relationship in her life.

1 Peter 4:10-11As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Adrienne is a talented gift from the Lord to the ministry of Makarios and her embodiment of relationship is beautiful to see. She loves the Lord and serves Him faithfully which is turned into sweet blessings for the Mak staff, students, school, and beyond.​Laurie Majcher, Principal of Makarios School​

Bernabe from family Empowerment

Value: Humility

The person that has embodied our value of humility within Family Empowerment is Bernabe.

He was my mentor before coming to work for Makarios, and was the director of a Compassion Project for 10 years. Yet, he was willing to work as a team and come under my leadership with respect.

He is spiritually mature and is a role model for our team.

Benjamin Nunez, Director of Family Empowerment​

Lucia from Group Ministry

Value: Integrity

For the Group Ministry, we chose Lucia as an example of integrity. She is in charge of cleaning the Mak House and preparing rooms for the teams that come to serve at Makarios and is a huge blessing to our ministry. We absolutely could not do what we do without her. Lucia embodies integrity in the way she does her job because she does things with excellence all the time. She works extremely hard, often stays later than expected and goes above and beyond her duties in caring for our teams and expecting nothing in return. Oftentimes she can be spotted standing on the kitchen countertop dusting the window ledges with a paintbrush in an effort to make sure the house is as clean as it can be. When teams are at the house, she makes 20 to 40 beds every day and takes the time to match colored sheets and pillowcases for each guest, again showing her attention to detail in ministering to our teams. ​She also shows integrity in her daily life outside of work. She faithfully serves at her church and others around her. Lucia is a seamstress and loves to sew and make clothing etc. Recently someone donated some fabric for her to use. Instead of making something for herself or for her home, she took the material and made several dresses for young girls in Haiti that she knew were in need. Her integrity can also be seen in her family. She and her husband, Joel have raised 5 children, and they all live their lives with integrity, honor and faith in the Lord. They are respectful, trustworthy and great examples to everyone around them.

We love Lucia for many reasons, but integrity is one of her most apparent assets. Without her, the Group Ministry would not be the same!